Electro-magnetic separator



(No Model.)

J. B. HAMILTON.

ELEGTRO MAGNETIO SBPARATOR.

No. 384,035. [Patented June 5, 1888.

MHHESEE UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. HAMILTON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRO=MAG NETIC SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.384,035, dated June 5, 1888.

Application filed February 2, 1888. Serial No. 262.822. t'No'model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrn B. HAMILTON, of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electro-Magnetic Separators, of which the followingisaspecification, reference being had to the accompanying-drawings, formin g part thereof.

My invention relates to means for separating particles of iron from a mass of comminuted material with which said particles are mingled by subjecting said material to the action of electro-magnets; and it has for its object to provide an apparatus for this pur pose in which an extended area of magnetized surface will be presented in such manner that the entire mass of comminuted material can be rapidly passed thereover, however fine its particles maybe. i

A further object of the invention is to provide novel means for supporting a series of electro'magnets in such manner that the entire series can be quickly inserted within and withdrawn from a chute or conductor for comminuted material, and which will permit each magnet to be readily removed from its support for the purpose of cleaning the same.

To these ends my invention consists in the apparatus constructed and operating as hereinafter fully described, and particularlypointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, in which like letters designate like parts in the several figures, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a chute or conductor for comminuted material having applied thereto the separating apparatus devised by me. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the electro-magnets and their supporting frame removed from the chute. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the magnets removed from the frame, having its cap slightly elevated therefrom, said figure also showing an edge and face view, respectively, of one of the disks removed from.the end of said magnet. Fig. 4 is a side view, partly in section, of said magnet. Fig. 5 is a View of the magnetsupporting frame with one of the sides removed to show the interior thereof. Fig. 6 is a View of a frame provided with five magnets instead of three, one of the end pieces of said frame being removed.

While the apparatus about to be described is adapted to be used in connection with all kinds of comminuted material in which particles of iron may exist, and also in connection with wheat and other grain, I have devised it with especial reference to the separation of iron particles from natural sulphate of lime, as used to form a filler in the manufacture of writing and other paper. It is found that after this material has passed through the reducing and calcining processes it contains a greater or less proportion of minute particles of iron, each of which particles, if not removed, causes a blemish in the finished paper and greatly diminishes the value of the latter. As the said particles of iron are distributed entire separation of the particles of iron from said material can be effected.

In the drawings, the letter A designates a portion of a vertically-disposed chute or conductor, which may be of any desired size,and which will be adapted at its top and bottom, respectively, to receive and discharge the ma terial to be operated upon. I have shown in connection with said chute a housing, A, for

an endless-belt elevator by which the comminuted material, after passing the magnets,can be conveyed upwardly to an upper floor should it be desired to do so; but said housing forms no part of my invention, and the material can be run from the bottom of the chute directly into any suitable receptacle, if preferred. At some point between its ends the chute R is provided with an opening in one of its sides and with a door for closing the same,as shown, and is furthermore provided with ways upon its inner surface in the plane of the lower side of said opening to support the magnet-holding frame B. When the apparatus is to be used inconnection with finely-comminuted material-such as the natural sulphate of lime, above mentioned, or flour-the opening in the chute just described will preferably be located at such distance from the top of the chute or the point where said material enters the same that in its descent to the magnetslthe material will be diffused throughout the area of the chute and caused to pass the magnets in cloudlike form, and this result can be rendered still more positive by locating cross-pieces at various po1nts within the chute and in different horizontal planes.

Themagnet-supporting frame 13 is rectangular 1n shape, and is of the proper dimensions to closely fit within the chute when placed within the latter through its opening, as shown in Fig. 1. Said frame is open at top and bottom, and is preferably beveled inwardly at the top, as shown. Two of the opposite sides of the frame B are provided with aledge upon their inner surface. within which ledges areformed depressions b to receive the ends of the magnets and form seats for the latter. The frame shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 5 is prov1ded with three of such seats, the middle one of which is located in a plane above that occupied by the other two.

I In order to enable the connections between each magnet and the dynamoelectrie machine or other generator to be quickly made and broken, I provide the magnets at each end with contact-strips, as will be presently described,

and provide the seats for said magnets in frame- B w1th corresponding contact-strips of brass or other suitable material. The contactstrips in said frame are arranged in such manner as to establish a direct circuit through the frame and through each magnet from end to end, as follows: Strip 1, having connected therewith binding-post 1), makes connection with the seat of one of the outer magnets at one end of" the frame with binding-post b. The bindingposts I) b are thus located at opposite corners of the frame and can be quickly connected with the wires leading from the generator when the frame is placed within the chute, and as quickly disconnected therefrom when it 1s desired to remove the frame for the purpose of cleaning the magnets, as hereinafter described.

The magnets C are constructed as follows: An iron core is formed by casting or otherwise, said core consisting of two parallel bars, 0 c, united by an intermediate rib, c. The bars 0 are of such shape in cross-section that their inner sides are vertical and parallel, while their outer sides extend from theupper nearly to the lower edges of said bars at a slight angle to the vertical inner sides, and then pref erably curve slightly to the lower edges, as shown in Fig. 3. The wire a is wound upon rib 0' between bars 0 and lengthwise of the latter, in the usual manner, sot-hat when completed the projecting end of the wire at one end of the magnet will lead to the center of the coil, while the opposite end of the wire at the surface of the coil projects from the opposite end of the magnet. As thus constructed, an electrical current passed through the coil will cause bars 0 c-to be magnetized throughout their entire area, one of said bars being the positive and the other the negative pole,as the wire 0 is wound in one or the other direction.

After winding the magnet,as just described, a disk, 0 preferably of wood, is secured to each end thereof by screws or otherwise, each of said disks having uponits periphery a brass or other metallic contact-strip, c, and the projeeting ends of the wire 0 are each connected to one of said strips 0 by means of the bindingscrews 0. Such construction enables me to create a circuit through the magnet by making connection between the strips 0* and an electric generator. A cap, 0, preferably made of wood, is constructed of the proper length and width to closely fit the space between the upper edges of side pieces, a, and rests upon the wire coil, as shown in Fig. 4. The upper surface of said cap is wedge-shaped, and its sides form a continuation of the inclined sides of bars 0 a when the cap is placed in position upon the magnet. The function of the cap 0 is to guide the particles of the material being operated upon to the inclined faces of the magnet and to prevent said particles from lodging upon the magnet.

Wires 5 6, (see Fig. 1,) leading from a dynamo-electric machine (not shown) or from any other suitable electrical generator, communicate with the interior of chute A at opposite corners of the latter, wire 5 terminating within the chute in a contact-cap, 7, and wire 6 terminating in asimilarcontact-cap, 8, whereby connection between said wires and the binding-posts on frame B can be quickly made and broken, or any other devices for securing such result can be used in lieu of said caps.

The letter D designates a lamp, which may be located at any convenient point upon the chute or adjacent thereto,said lamp beingcoir nected with wires 5 6 in the usual manner, whereby it is adapted to serve as an indicator to notify the operator of any accidental stoppage of the current from the generator, and enable him to shut off the supply of material to the chute.

The operation of the apparatus thus constructed is as follows: The magnets are placed within frame B, the disks 0 resting in depressions I), thus making connection between strips 0 and strips 1 3 at one end of the frame and strips 2 4: at the opposite end thereof. These connections, it will be observed, are made and broken by simply placing the magnets in and removing them from the depressions b of the frame. By the arrangement of said depressions as previously described the intermediate magnet is elevated slightly above the other IIO two, and the magnets will be of such size relatively to the frame that when seated in said depressions any material passing through the frame will necessarily be brought in contact with one of the former. In placing the magnets in the frame, moreover, the intermediate magnet is so arranged that its'positive bar o will face the negative bar of one of the other two magnets, while its negative bar will face IO the positive bar of the third magnet, which is done by simply reversing the ends of the intermediate magnet relatively to the ends of the other two. The frame B,with the magnets thus disposed therein,is then inserted through the opening in the chute and placed upon the ways uponthe inner surface of the latter, contact-cap 7 of wire-5 being placed upon binding-post b and cap 8 of wire 6 being placed upon postb", and the door ofthe chute is closed.

The dynamo-electric machine is then set in operation and the current generated thereby passes through theeircnit established by wire 5, post I), strip 1, the first magnet, strip 2, the second magnet, strip 3, the third magnet, strip 4, post I), and wire 6, thereby magnetizing the bars a of each magnet. The material to be operated upon is then caused to descend through until said .particlesare deposited upon the.

curved lower surface of said bars, where they remain, thus leaving the inclined surface of the bars comparatively cleanand insuring the retention thereon of all the particles of iron passed thereover. The continuous inclined surface formed by the caps and sides of the magnets effectually prevents any accumulation 45. of the material within the frame, which result is still further facilitated by the inwardly-bow eled surface at the top of the frame.

Thelamp D, which burns as long as the circuit is established and is extinguished by the breaking of the circuit, indicates to the operator the condition of the circuit at all times, and enables him to immediately shut off the supply of material to the chute in case of accidental breaking of any of the connections betwcen'the apparatus and the generator, or of any irregularity in the operation of the latter.

Whenever it becomes necessary to clean the magnets, the supply of material to the chute is stopped, wires 5 6 disconnected from posts L b and frame B withdrawn from the chute, whereupon each of the magnets can be separately removed from the frame and the particles of iron adhering thereto can be removed with a brush in the usual manner.

The magnets retain their power of attraction not a stronger magnetic action can be secured by causing the current to pass through the entire series of magnets at the same time and in So the same direction,which can be done by connecting wire 5 to each of the magnets at one end of the frame and wire 6 with the opposite ends of the magnets.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a series of five magnets seated in a frame, one end of the latter being removed to show the interior thereof, and have shown bindingpost b connected to contact-strips located in each of the five depressions forming the seats of the magnets. The opposite end of the frame will contain a similar post similarly connected with each of the seats at that end of the frame, andjwhen thus connected it will be obvious that by connecting wire 5 with one of said posts and wire 5 6 with the opposite post the current will pass through all of the five magnets simultaneously and in the same direction. Aside from this difference in the movement of the current the operation of this form of the apparatus is the I03 same as that previously described.

It will be observed that the apparatus herein described is simple and inexpensive in construction and peculiarly applicable to the purpose for which it is designed.

The means for directing the material to be operated upon to and from the magnets can be varied at will; but I prefer to utilize a chute for such purpose, as shown.

I do not wish to limit myself to the exact IIC construction of either the magnets or their supporting-frame shown and described, as various modifications therein can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is i 1. The apparatus for separating particles of iron from a mass of comminuted or other ma terial, herein described, consisting ofa frame. I 2.) open at top and bottom, one or more electromagnets supported within said frame, each of said magnets being composed of two parallel bars united by an intermediate rib and having wound upon said rib lengthwise of said bars a wire coil, and suitable connections between each of said coils and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, substantially as described.

2. n apparatus for separating particles of :30

iron rom amass of comminuted or other material, consisting of a series of magnets each comprising two parallel bars, an intermediate connecting-rib, and a wire coil wound upon said rib lengthwise of said bars, suitable connections between the coils of said magnets and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, and a chute or similar device for conducting the material to be operated upon to and through said series of magnets, substantially as set forth.

3. The apparatus herein described for separating particles of iron from a mass of comminuted orother material,consistingofaframe open at top and bottom, one or more electroinagnets supported at each end by opposite sides of said frame, each of said magnets be ing composed of two parallel bars, an intermediate conneetingrib, and a wire coil wound upon said rib lengthwise of said bars,said bars having their outer faces inclined outwardly from their upper toward their lower edges, and suitable connections between each of said coils and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, arranged and operating substantially as set forth.

4. In an apparatus for separating particles of iron from a mass of comminuted or other material, a frame open at top and bottom and having at opposite sides thereof seats for supporting the ends of a series of magnets, a series of magnets each consisting of two parallel bars, an intermediate connecting rib, and a wire coil wound upon said rib lengthwise of said bars, and having at each end a contactstrip connected to one of the ends of the wire composing said coil, contact-strips upon said frame located in such manner as to make connection with the strips upon said magnets when the latter are seated in said frame, and suitable connections between the contactstrips on the frame and an electrical genera tor for inducing an electric current through the former, whereby said current will also be induced through the coils of each of the magnets seated in the frame, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with chute A, having in one side thereof an opening and a door for closingthe same, of frame B, supported within said chute adjacent to said opening, said frame being open at top and bottom and havinghorizontally disposed therein a series of electro magnets, and suitable connections between each of said magnets and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination, with chute A, of frame B, detachably supported within said chute, said frame being open at top and bottom and having detachably supported therein a series of electromagnets, 0, positive and negative binding-posts upon said frame electrically connected with thepositive: and negative poles of each of said magnets, contact devices upon said chute to engage said posts on the frame, and suitable connections between said contact devices on the chute and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination, with chute A, frame B, located within said chute, and eleetro-magnets O,supported within said frame, ofsuitable connections between said magnets and an electrical generator for creating an electric circuit through said magnets, and lamp D, located in said circuit outside of said chute,whereby said lamp is adapted to serve as an indicator, substantially as andfor the purpose described.

8. The electromagnetic separator herein described, composed of a series ofmagnets, 0, each consisting of parallel bars 0 0, con nectingrib- 0, having a wire coil wound thereon, disks c and contact-strips 0 upon said disks, connected to opposite ends of the wire composing said coil, frame B, having seats I) for said magnets, and contact-strips 1 2 3 4, arranged upon said seats, substantially as described, suitable connections between two or more of said strips on the frame and an electrical generator for inducing an electric current through the former, and a chute or similar device for conducting a mass of comminuted or other material to and through said frame, arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In an electromagnetic separator of the kind herein described, the combination, with the series of magnets 0, each composed of bars 0 0, having theiroutersides inclined, asshown, connecting-rib c, and wire coil 0 upon said rib, of a series of caps, c, closely fitting the space between said bars and above said coils, said caps having their upper surface wedgeshaped, substantially as and for the purpose described.

JOSEPH B. HAMILTON.

Witnesses:

W. H. CHAPMAN, J E. CHAPMAN. 

